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Global, Stallion seal UFL Cup Final showdown

Match reports of Tuesday's UFL Cup semifinal matches held in Rizal Memorial Football stadium.

Global 2, Loyola Meralco Sparks 1

No, Azkals? No problem.

In one of the most remarkable achievements in the history of the league, Global are into the UFL Cup final after defeating Loyola Meralco Sparks 2-1 sans almost all their national team players.

The league champs were without Denis Wolf, Demit Omphroy, Carli De Murga, Misagh Bahadoran, Juani Guirado, Marwin Angeles, Patrick Reichelt, and Jeff Christiaens. That bunch were in Cebu in training for Thursday's friendly clash with Singapore.

Dan Palami fielded several little-used players like Delon Yao, Marvin Angeles, Matt Uy, Fidelis Nnabuife and Kevin Capolei, and the second-liners delivered.

Marvin Angeles and Uy were the only Azkals that were permitted to play in this match since apparently they have not been included in Michael Weiss' eighteen for Thursday.

Alex Obiang scored in the seventh minute and Izo Elhabbib made it 2-0 in the 83rd.

James Younghusband pulled one back for the Sparks three minutes later but Loyola was unable to follow it up and Global reach Monday's final.

Global will now go for a League and Cup double against Stallion, to match what Air Force accomplished last year.

For Meralco, more frustration as they fail to secure another trophy.

Obiang exploited some poor positioning from Sparks right back PJ Fadrigalan to receive a pass from Yu Hoshide and slip the ball past Loyola keeper Ref Cuaresma from the left lank in the seventh minute.

Loyola attempted to create with some long-ball play early in the first half but the strategy did not pan out.

Global could have gone ahead early in the second half but Cuaresma turned back attempts from Elhabbib and Nnabuife.

[RELATED: UFL Cup semis preview: Loyola plays Global, Stallion takes on Archers]

The Sparks awoke in the second half with some better midfield play. Chad Gould had a header blocked, and James Younghusband spurned a golden opportunity in the 56th minute when he blazed over the bar after picking up a quick free kick from brother Phil.

The younger Younghusband then blew a chance at equalizing when he headed wide at the hour mark.

Elhabbib might have equalized with twelve minutes to go but his bicycle kick fluttered high.

Meralco sent in Jake Morallo for Mark Hartmann to add some pace to the Loyola attack.

With seven minutes to go Elhabbib finally scored, picking up a loose ball after some iffy defending from Park Min Ho. The Sudanese skated to the right, faked a shot that sent Cuaresma to the ground, then from an acute angle powered it home.

Three minutes later James Younghusband found space and time in front of goal and drilled a shot through the legs of Global keeper Roland Dely Sadia for 2-1.

Global then went into time-wasting mode, with Uy, Hoshide, Sadia, and Yao all seeing yellow. Yao's late yellow was his second, sending him off in stoppage time. The defender will miss the final.

The whistle blew in the 96th and a relieved Global will now go to the UFL Cup final as they did in the 2010-2011 season, when they defeated Air Force 3-2.

Stallion Penson 3, Green Archers United Globe 1, AET

A Stallion forward made his mark in this semifinal with two goals, but it wasn't prized Spanish off-season signing Rufo Sanchez. Instead it was captain Ruben "Balot" Doctora from Barotac Nuevo who sunk the Green Archers.

Green Archers took the lead in the 55th with a goal from Tating Pasilan. After Doctora equalized in the 71st, Lee Hwon Yung put Stallion ahead twenty one minutes into the extra period before Doctora's second provided the insurance just before time.

The hard-fought game finished with ten men each as Archers' Lawrence Obinna Ikegwuruka was shown two yellows and just before regulation finished, Stallion centerback Nam Yeul Woo was given his second caution, resulting in his expulsion.

Nam will miss the final and Ikegwuruka can't play in the third-place game versus Loyola. Both matches will be held this Monday, November 19.

It was an even first half with chances on either end. Doctora forced a save off Archers keeper Patrick Deyto in the 23rd, and eight minutes later Sanchez's effort was smothered by the DLSU shot stopper.

Three minutes from the half United's Gabe Olowoyeye made a lovely turn-and-shot but it was wide right of Stallion goalie Wilson Munoz's frame.

The deadlock was broken in the 55th when Pasilan unleashed a left-footed cannon that squirreled through Munoz's gloves for the opener.

[RELATED: Why Global should have fielded their Azkals]

Eight minutes later tempers flared after Jonjon Melliza was brought down and Stallions Bervic Italia and Anton Albor were presented with yellow cards by referee Rey Ritaga, along with Ikegwuruka.

Since Ikegwuruka had already been cautioned for an earlier challenge, he was sent off.

Three minutes later Stallion leveled. Lee Joo Young collected a cross in the box and nudged the ball forward to Doctora, who had been played onside by Dom Mensah.

Deyto rushed out to narrow the angle but Doctora's powerful shot whistled past the keeper and into the net.

Fourteen minutes later Stallion had a legitimate penalty shout when Archer Ayi Nii Aryee appeared to handle the ball in the box but the referee didn't blow his whistle.

Substitute Jovanie Simpron could have won it in regulation injury time but his curling right footer was just high of the crossbar.

Four minutes into injury time Nam picked up his second yellow on a clumsy challenge on Pasilan near the box. In the ensuing free kick Ayi shot high.

The Green Archers were the more cautious team in the extension, while Stallion was definitely more aggressive.

With Deyto in goal one cannot blame Archers coach Rodolfo Alicante for perhaps playing for penalty kicks, especially since Munoz, who had suffered facial injuries in the quarterfinal versus General Trias, was not 100% fit.

Stallion's Ernie Nierras replaced Italia with forward OJ Clarino and the move bore fruit in the 111th minute. Clarino centered from the left flank and Lee Hwon Yung, playing in place of Jason de Jong who was on Azkals duty, one timed the ball spectacularly into the top left corner.

Stallion then held possession for long periods of time to try and salt the win away.

With Archers committing men forward, Stallion found space on the counterattack in the 118th minute. Simpron crossed to an unmarked Doctora who pounded it in to add some gloss to the scoreline.

You can follow Bob on Twitter @bhobg333. Follow the UFL @uflphilippines.

Editor's note: The blogger's views do not represent Yahoo! Southeast Asia's position on the topic or issue being discussed in this post.

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